EverestRowena stood up and looked me up and down, noting my appearance changes. My hair was straight and much more ashy than before. I had one silver-grey eye and my body shape had even changed. My chest had become fuller and my hips rounder, more feminine. It was a weird feeling…like I’d woken up in someone else’s body. But more than the physical appearance I felt stronger…physically, but also in my own inner strength and my gifts. I felt more in control. I knew I could tap into them at a moments notice and sustain them for as long as I needed. I could see why Helios had tried to hide these powers away. I felt invincible.I watched Rowena inspect me. “Interesting…you look more like her now, too” she mused.“Who?”“Selene, darling” she smiled.“Oh…you’ve seen her?” I wondered.“Certainly. She visits me often. Who do you think it was that told me everything I needed to know about you? You’re her direct ancestor…of course she’d have an invested interest in your wellbeing.”I considered
FinnWe cruised through the mountains quickly, not wasting any time. The time spent at Rowena’s had changed both of us immensely. In a safe place, we’d finally been able to accept our mate bond and solidify it and I’d never been happier. Finding out about my mother had been excruciating. But knowing that she’d given her life for Lupin and Everest made it a bit easier. It wasn’t a senseless act of killing or an accident. She’d made her choice with a purpose, knowing it was the only way to save my future. It didn’t excuse my father’s behaviour, but it made my feelings of loss slightly easier. Finding out that Rowena had unsealed my mate bond, that I didn’t even know was sealed in the first place, had surprised me…but it made sense. In one moment, everything in me had shifted, allowing Everest in. I couldn’t fathom how I’d ever considered rejecting her in the first place. Knowing how badly I’d hurt her…that I’d pushed her to attempt to reject this herself gave me chills. I looked over at
EverestWe made our way upstairs nearly naked by the time we got to Finn’s room. It was woodsy and dark and full of his sandalwood and cedar scent. He tore off the remainder of my clothes once the door was shut behind us and picked me up, carrying me off towards the bathroom. Aside from a brief moment when I put a sticky note on his head, I hadn't spent any time in Finn's room. The bathroom was black marble with silver accents. A massive tub sat in the corner and a large vanity covered the other wall. Large bay windows overlooked the lake and a huge glass shower was in the middle of the room. His shower was a massive glass room with a dark stone floor and a rainfall ceiling. We stepped in and the water poured over us. I hadn’t rinsed since the lake, so the hot water felt unreal. I washed my hair first and then let the water soothe my tired muscles. Finn finished washing his hair and grabbed the bar of soap.“Come here, gorgeous” his husky, deep voice made my stomach clench in anticipat
FinnThe sun streamed through the windows at first light. It must’ve been early as the light was golden and warm. It bounced off Everest’s hair, making it look like it was glowing. I smiled… my little sunshine. She was curled in a ball, tucked into my side, her breath tickling my ribs. I reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the remote and pressed the button that closed the blackout curtains and slowly we were immersed back into darkness. I pulled Everest into me and breathed in her sweet scent and drifted back off to sleep. When I awoke again Everest was lying beside me staring at me while I slept…the little weirdo.“Morning…why are you watching me sleep?” I stretched and she snickered.“Do you know you talk in your sleep?” She smiled. Oh gods, what I had I said? I tried to remember what I’d been dreaming about, but nothing came to mind.“I do not…” I grumbled.“You do! You were saying something about there being too many chickens in your house?” She laughed again. I vaguely bega
EverestKali and I changed into our bathing suits and brought a big blanket down to the edge of the lake. We laid it out flat in the sand under the shade of a tall fir tree and set out a variety of unhealthy snacks and sodas that we’d nabbed from the pack house kitchen. The day was clear and hot; perfect for sitting by the lake. After the emotional and physical stress over the last several weeks it felt nice to sit with my best friend and let the world fade away for a few hours. I knew the topic of what had happened down in the tunnels was eating away at her, but she didn’t press, which I was thankful for. What had happened to Fiona weighed heavy in my heart and I cringed at the thought of reliving it out loud. She had been just a child. Barely old enough to have a wolf and then she’d been turned into a monster against her will and lost forever. The thought of her mangled, hairless body rotting in the dark of those tunnels haunted me. If i ever got the chance, I'd retrive her remains a
EverestI gently patted Dayna’s hair and rubbed her back while she laid her head in my lap, tears streaming from her eyes. I didn’t want to push her, but I couldn’t imagine what was causing this kind of pain in her. I let her lay there and cry it out until she seemed to calm down enough to sit up. I passed her some tissues, and she blew her nose and dried her eyes.“Dayna, what’s going on?” I grabbed her hand, comforting her.She looked at me with big sad eyes, lip trembling.“R-remember the other n-night? W-when you asked ab-about my mate?” she stammered, trying to steady her breath. I nodded, not wanting to interrupt her.“I d-did find h-him. B-but h-he’s a h-h-human.” She buried her face in her hands, trembling. My jaw dropped. I hadn’t heard of a wolf being mated to a human in…pretty much forever. It was insanely rare. Some wolves through history had been mated to witches or other supernatural beings, but aside from Starrk…I don’t know if I’d ever heard of a wolf claiming a human m
FinnLupin never showed for dinner, so I left some on a tray outside of her room. Everest had said she would try to talk to her tomorrow, but I knew it should be me. She was my family and she’d done so much for me. I needed to put her conscience at ease…it was the least I could do. Everest had remained downstairs while I returned to our room to shower and change out of my stained shirt. I should probably stop cooking in white, I shook my head. I pulled off the messy clothes and stepped into a steamy hot shower, lathering up my toned muscles and letting the hot water rise the day off my skin. My mind drifted to the last time I’d been in here with Everest. She’d been on her knees with her plush lips wrapped around my thick cock. Gods, she’d felt good. I could feel myself getting hard just remembering it. My fiery mate was the sexiest little thing I could ever imagine. I closed my eyes and leaned forward, propping myself against the glass, while I stroked my growing erection. Her sweet as
EverestWe crawled out of bed and dressed for the day. I was quieter than usual during breakfast, but Finn didn’t pressure me to talk. We munched on bacon and eggs and fresh summer fruit while Finn texted someone. I was anxious to go home again. I didn’t feel like the same person anymore. I guess I wasn’t. I was changed completely down to the way I looked now. Mere weeks had passed since I’d left home but it felt like years. I realized I’d been poking a blueberry around my plate for 5 minutes when I noticed Finn watching me.“I know your nervous. Do you want to talk about it, little wolf?” He spoke gently but I could tell he was anxious to make it better.“I’m guess I’m just thinking about how different I feel. In the way I look but also just in who I am and how I feel. It’s been a wild few weeks.” I shook my head.Finn considered my words. “I can understand that. I think maybe though you’ll find that you will feel more like yourself when you return to the place you called home. Maybe
EverestPain. It radiated through every part of me, sharp and unrelenting, dragging me into a cold, suffocating reality. I had a long gash down my forearm that dripped blood steadily. My wrists burned where the ropes dug into my skin, tied so tightly behind me that I could barely feel my fingers. I was no longer in my wolf form…He must’ve soaked the ropes in wolfsbane. My body trembled, human and vulnerable now, as I hung limply from the tree they’d tied me to.Iza’s voice slithered through the air, soft but venomous.“You look so fragile like this,” he purred, crouching in front of me. His black eyes glinted with cruel amusement, the shadows of his magic flickering around him like living things. “Where is your precious glow now, hmm? Where is Selene’s power?”I lifted my head weakly, my glare cutting through the pain. “Go to hell,” I spat, my voice hoarse.Iza chuckled darkly, his pointed teeth gleaming in the dim light of the clearing. “Oh, my dear, I’ve been living in hell for cent
EverestThe forest swallowed me whole, the sounds of the battle fading into muffled chaos behind me. My heart thundered, every step driving me closer to the witches who had orchestrated this nightmare. The bond screamed for me to stop, to turn back and find Finn, but I pushed forward. This ended tonight—no matter the cost.Their energy pulsed like a beacon, sickly and dark, guiding me deeper into the woods. The gifts Selene had given me flared stronger the closer I got to their foul magic. On a night without a moon, my glow was all the light the forest needed. A soft silvery haze bathed the trees, the shadows twisting and curling unnaturally as though they feared my presence. My paws hit the ground in rhythmic thuds, quiet and deliberate as I honed in on my prey.Twax and Iza were close.A few more minutes of running and I saw them. Twax hunched near a crude altar, his single arm fumbling with a vial of dark yellow liquid. A low growl rumbled in my chest as I spotted his maimed should
EverestFinn had barely acknowledged me in days. It was like standing on the edge of a cliff, the bond between us stretched so taut it might snap at any moment. Every glance, every word exchanged felt sharp, strained, and deliberate—like we were both trying to avoid spilling over into an argument we couldn’t come back from.He ate, slept, and lived battle preparations. He didn’t ask if I’d eaten, or if I’d rested, or if I needed anything. He didn’t linger when we crossed paths, didn’t hold my gaze longer than absolutely necessary. Didn't ask to talk, or attempt to mend things. It hurt more than I wanted to admit.It wasn’t anger I felt from him. Not really. It was something quieter, deeper. A kind of grief that twisted and coiled in his aura, pressing against the bond like a thick fog. It seeped into me every time I felt his presence, and I hated it.Ten days passed in a blur of preparation and tension until the new moon had cloaked the world in impenetrable darkness. The pack sat in
EverestThe air still smelled of smoke, the acrid scent clinging to the ruins of the village. The distant crackle of burning wood had long since faded, replaced by an oppressive silence that settled over the devastation. Onyx Moon felt like a ghost town—its spirit gutted by the chaos of last night.I picked my way through the streets, boots crunching over glass and debris. Broken walls leaned precariously, the remains of homes and businesses crumbled in on themselves like fragile bones. The east wing of the hospital was little more than a charred skeleton, its shattered windows framing a scene of ruin. The bodies—too many bodies—had already been shrouded in cloth. But the weight of their loss lingered, heavier than the wreckage. Bill and Annie. Gone.One of the forsaken had survived, though just barely—the one who had killed Annie. It was subdued now, locked away in a secure cell with wolfsbane coursing through its veins, but I couldn’t help wondering if there was even a sliver of the
**this chapter contains themes of graphic violence and death**FinnThe mindlink hit like a blade slicing into my skull, Duncan’s voice frantic and cracking with terror."Alpha—monsters—hospital—carnage everywhere—"The connection snapped, leaving nothing but the echo of his panic. I shot out of bed, my wolf snarling in the back of my mind, claws already scraping for control.“What is it?” Everest asked, sitting up, her voice groggy.I didn’t answer. I was already moving for the door. My pulse roared in my ears. Something was wrong—deeply, violently wrong. I could feel it like a storm crawling under my skin.“Finn?” she pushed, her tone sharper now.“Stay here.” The words came out like a growl, harsher than I intended.Everest bristled, but I didn’t wait for an argument. I slammed the door behind me, praying she would listen this once, sprinting down the stairs, my senses locking onto the scent of blood hanging in the night air.Blood. Soaking the air square in its copper tang. Smoke
EverestTheo sat upright in the hospital bed. The sheets had been changed to get rid of the gore that had come off him. He looked straight ahead, not at Kali or I who sat either side of him, his brown eyes vacant and dissociated. He’d awoken a few hours ago but hadn’t said anything. His leg, ribs and arm had all healed nicely. His black hair was still gory, and he needed a shower, but he was alive, thank the gods. The doctors had assessed him and maintained that he was perfectly healthy, that perhaps he just needed time to recover from the trauma within his mind. Sienna had curled up on the sofa on the opposite wall when she’d heard he was okay. Poor thing had barely slept for days and had experienced some gruesome trauma of her own. Kali and I had shown Theo photos of the three of us when we were younger to try and jog his memory, but he had barely looked at them. It was like he was in some sort of daze, and he only seemed to know one word. “Sienna”. He would rasp it anytime his eyes
FinnThe hospital’s fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, a stark contrast to the stillness of the room. Theo lay motionless on the cot, his chest rising and falling in uneven intervals. Sienna sat rigid beside him; her hands clasped so tightly her knuckles were white. She hadn’t moved since they’d brought him in, her eyes darting to the door every time it creaked open, as if expecting someone—or something—to come for them.Finn lingered near the window, his arms crossed, his wolf pacing beneath his skin. He didn’t trust her yet, not fully, but something in the way she held herself, the broken desperation carved into her expression, told him her story was far from over. Kali and Everest sat on a small sofa against the far wall, holding one anothers hands. Everests head rested on Kali’s shoulder, but her eyes were gazing out the window, distant, as though she was listening to voices on the wind. Caleb had gone to sure up the border defences and prepare the arial weapon strike we had plann
FinnThe stench of blood and rot reached me before I saw them. It clawed at my senses, setting my wolf on edge. Caleb and I burst through the trees at the border, my paws digging into the earth as I skidded to a halt.Sienna.She staggered into view, barely upright, her arms wrapped around a man’s half-conscious form. His head lolled against her shoulder, and his legs dragged uselessly behind her. She looked like death warmed over—clothes shredded, face streaked with blood and grime, her movements unsteady as though the ground beneath her feet was giving way.My wolf snarled in my chest. I didn’t trust her. Couldn’t trust her. Not after what she’d done to Everest.But something in her eyes stopped me cold. Panic. Desperation. I shifted, giving her the opportunity to speak.“Sienna,” I growled, standing upright. Caleb stayed in his wolf behind me, his hackles raised as his eyes darted to the shadows of the forest. He was thinking what I was: this could be a trap.She collapsed at the so
EverestThe sharp taste of bile still lingered in the back of my throat as I splashed cold water on my face. My hands trembled against the porcelain sink. Morning sickness had always seemed like a minor inconvenience in the stories I’d heard growing up—a small price to pay for the miracle of life. No one warned me how it would leave me feeling like my body was no longer entirely in my control.Finn’s footsteps echoed outside the door. He was pacing again, no doubt trying to decide whether to knock or give me the space I’d asked for. My chest tightened at the thought of the worry etched across his face.I reached for the glass bottle tucked into the top drawer. The tonic Rowena had given me sat cold and still in its glass. Its promise was simple: delay the inevitable. Buy time. Time to prepare, time to fight, time to heal.I held it up to the light, the golden liquid catching the faint glow of the lamp. Was this what a good mother would do? Was this what my child needed?Finn tapped on